Northport gun laws meeting draws hundreds

Group claims some officials limit Second Amendment rights

A 9mm pistol is pictured in the console of a truck in this 2010 file photo. A couple hundred gun owners and enthusiasts told local legislators Tuesday night at the Northport Civic Center that they have a constitutional right to carry weapons.

Staff File Photo

By Lydia Seabol AvantStaff Writer

Published: Wednesday, January 23, 2013 at 3:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, January 22, 2013 at 11:23 p.m.

NORTHPORT | A couple hundred gun owners and enthusiasts told local legislators Tuesday night at the Northport Civic Center that they have a constitutional right to carry weapons.

According to some of the gun advocates, local elected officials who pass bans on openly carried guns should be thrown in jail and prosecuted for violating the Second Amendment.

Most said they felt that local and federal laws were slowly chipping away at their rights to carry arms, and they asked the legislators to do something about it.

“We are slowly being gobbled up by the government that keeps eating up and eating up our laws,” said Eddie Fulmer, a member of the gun open-carry advocacy group, BamaCarry. “The elephant is huge.”

The meeting largely focused on recent local ordinances restricting the open carrying of guns on city property. In September 2011, the Northport City Council proposed a ban on openly carried guns on city property, including the City Hall and city-owned public parks like Kentuck. In October 2011, that proposed ordinance was amended to be less restrictive, instead duplicating state law regarding open carrying of weapons.

While it isn't illegal to openly carry guns on city property and parks in Northport, officials have said it is not permitted, and that anyone who walks into a city-owned building or park with a gun openly displayed is asked to leave.

For Tuesday's night meeting, held at the city-owned Civic Center, attendees were asked to leave their firearms in their vehicles, stating Alabama Code 13A-11-59, which bans openly carried guns during events that are considered demonstrations.

Tuscaloosa has also banned openly carried guns on city property. Its ordinance, passed in 2010, bans long guns — shotguns and rifles — from all city buildings and facilities. Because of the state law that limits the authority of cities to pass laws regarding handguns, the ordinance states that anyone possessing one on city property could be charged with trespassing.

“America and Americans are finally starting to wake up,” Beason said, adding that each day, leaders “twist” the law to restrict people's right to bear arms.

“People need to have the ability to defend themselves,” he said.

Bowman agreed.

“It's about time that people stand up and say enough is enough,” he said. “I support the Second Amendment right and I believe it's absolute. If you want to have a 30-round clip, I have no problem with it.”

Bowman said that ultimately, the legality over local restrictions on open carry will have to be decided in court.

“This is something we should never have to do, but unfortunately we have to, to make it crystal clear,” Bowman said.

Beason agreed, and recommended that groups like Bama-Carry band together to fight for their constitutional right.

“It takes guts and it takes money to stand up to the law,” Beason said. “Doing it in numbers is the way to do it.”

Showing up at the polls is another way to do it, to vote for elected officials who support gun rights, Allen said.

Still, some audience members wanted more action.

If the cities depend on state or federal funds, cut them off of funding if they aren't following state or federal gun laws, suggested Mickey Herring of Tuscaloosa.

Jordan Williamson of Tuscaloosa said he felt local leaders should be “thrown in jail” for passing bans that limit the right to carry guns. Robert Spencer of Coaling suggested the leaders be sued.

Angie Saldana of Northport said that what the local governments are doing is not right.

“Our government is trying to limit our constitutional rights, and we are supposed to lay down — that's not what our country was founded on,” Saldana said. “We've taken religion out of school, our freedom of speech, our firearms. We won't take this. We will vote you out.”

<p>NORTHPORT | A couple hundred gun owners and enthusiasts told local legislators Tuesday night at the Northport Civic Center that they have a constitutional right to carry weapons. </p><p>According to some of the gun advocates, local elected officials who pass bans on openly carried guns should be thrown in jail and prosecuted for violating the Second Amendment. </p><p>Most said they felt that local and federal laws were slowly chipping away at their rights to carry arms, and they asked the legislators to do something about it. </p><p>“We are slowly being gobbled up by the government that keeps eating up and eating up our laws,” said Eddie Fulmer, a member of the gun open-carry advocacy group, BamaCarry. “The elephant is huge.”</p><p>The meeting largely focused on recent local ordinances restricting the open carrying of guns on city property. In September 2011, the Northport City Council proposed a ban on openly carried guns on city property, including the City Hall and city-owned public parks like Kentuck. In October 2011, that proposed ordinance was amended to be less restrictive, instead duplicating state law regarding open carrying of weapons.</p><p>While it isn't illegal to openly carry guns on city property and parks in Northport, officials have said it is not permitted, and that anyone who walks into a city-owned building or park with a gun openly displayed is asked to leave.</p><p>For Tuesday's night meeting, held at the city-owned Civic Center, attendees were asked to leave their firearms in their vehicles, stating Alabama Code 13A-11-59, which bans openly carried guns during events that are considered demonstrations. </p><p>Tuscaloosa has also banned openly carried guns on city property. Its ordinance, passed in 2010, bans long guns — shotguns and rifles — from all city buildings and facilities. Because of the state law that limits the authority of cities to pass laws regarding handguns, the ordinance states that anyone possessing one on city property could be charged with trespassing.</p><p>At the meeting, State Sen. Gerald Allen, R-Cottondale, State. Rep. Daniel Bowman, D-Sulligent, and State Sen. Scott Beason, R-Gardendale, heard people's concerns.</p><p>“America and Americans are finally starting to wake up,” Beason said, adding that each day, leaders “twist” the law to restrict people's right to bear arms. </p><p>“People need to have the ability to defend themselves,” he said.</p><p>Bowman agreed. </p><p>“It's about time that people stand up and say enough is enough,” he said. “I support the Second Amendment right and I believe it's absolute. If you want to have a 30-round clip, I have no problem with it.”</p><p>Bowman said that ultimately, the legality over local restrictions on open carry will have to be decided in court. </p><p>“This is something we should never have to do, but unfortunately we have to, to make it crystal clear,” Bowman said. </p><p>Beason agreed, and recommended that groups like Bama-Carry band together to fight for their constitutional right. </p><p>“It takes guts and it takes money to stand up to the law,” Beason said. “Doing it in numbers is the way to do it.”</p><p>Showing up at the polls is another way to do it, to vote for elected officials who support gun rights, Allen said. </p><p>Still, some audience members wanted more action. </p><p>If the cities depend on state or federal funds, cut them off of funding if they aren't following state or federal gun laws, suggested Mickey Herring of Tuscaloosa.</p><p>Jordan Williamson of Tuscaloosa said he felt local leaders should be “thrown in jail” for passing bans that limit the right to carry guns. Robert Spencer of Coaling suggested the leaders be sued.</p><p>Angie Saldana of Northport said that what the local governments are doing is not right. </p><p>“Our government is trying to limit our constitutional rights, and we are supposed to lay down — that's not what our country was founded on,” Saldana said. “We've taken religion out of school, our freedom of speech, our firearms. We won't take this. We will vote you out.”</p>